On June 25, the European Union officially started negotiations with Moldova about its future membership.
Negotiations began at the intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg, where negotiations with Ukraine began on Tuesday. The conference began with a speech by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, chairing the Council of the European Union of Belgium, Aji Lyabib. Her statement regarding the most important reforms, which depend on the progress of negotiations with Moldova, almost verbatim repeats the statement at the conference with Ukraine.
The Moldovan delegation is headed by Prime Minister Dorin Rechan. As in the case of Ukraine, the first stage of negotiations is the screening of Moldovaʼs legislation and its approximation to EU standards, which may last about a year. After that, the parties will start the first block of negotiations. According to the new methodology of the European Union, negotiations begin with chapters 23 (judicial system and fundamental rights) and 24 (justice, freedom and security).
The Council of the EU approved the negotiating framework for Ukraine and Moldova on joining the European Union on June 21, 2024. The start of EU negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova officially began on June 25.
- In December 2023, Moldova received the consent of the European Commission to start negotiations on joining the EU. It plans to complete this process by 2030. Meanwhile, Moldova is under increasing pressure from Moscow, which is trying to undermine the countryʼs efforts at European integration.
- Earlier, Maya Sandu said that the referendum on Moldovaʼs accession to the European Union will be held without Transnistria, as the authorities do not control this region. Sandu also asked the citizens of Moldova to support her candidacy in the 2024 elections in order to "complete the mission of European integration." On June 13, the governments of the USA, Canada and Great Britain warned that Russia plans to organize a rebellion in Moldova if a pro-Russian candidate does not win the upcoming presidential elections.
- The referendum on joining the EU in the country was scheduled for October 20, 2024.